The National Conference of State Legislatures’ Attempt to Reform the Initiative Process: What Nevada Needs to do to Heed the NCSL’s Advice

Abstract

This article examines the initiative process. Currently, twenty-four states utilize the initiative process in one form or another as a popular way for their citizens to directly voice their opinion on what laws they want passed. Unfortunately, the process is somewhat prone to fraud. A petition’s proponents usually pay circulators for each signature they obtain, whether or not the Secretary of State ultimately validates it. In Part II, this Note looks at the history of the initiative process, the initiative process in Nevada, in particular, and the National Conference of State Legislature’s recommendations. Part III analyzes which recommendations Nevada has adopted, which recommendations Nevada still needs to adopt, and will suggest one other solution overlooked by the NCSL that Nevada should consider adopting. Part IV concludes with an overall summation of how Nevada has improved its initiative process and what reforms Nevada still needs to make.